Harvest apples, pears, pumpkins, squash, cabbage, nuts and grapes.
Finish collecting seeds to sow in the garden next year or direct sow hardy annuals.
Plant spring bedding such as bellis, primulas, wallflowers and winter pansies.
Plant bulbs such as narcissi, alliums, snowdrops, anemone blanda, bluebells and crocus.
Plant bulbs in pots so you have the flexibility to move them around. Also layer bulbs ‘lasagne planting’ to have different plants flowering throughout season i.e. crocus, narcissi, tulips, alliums. As one flower ends another blooms – succession planting.
Plant autumn garlic bulbs and onion sets.
Ideal time to move / plant trees and shrubs.
Plant fruit trees.
Prune summer fruiting raspberry canes leaving the new canes for next year.
Prune climbing and rambling roses once they have finished flowering.
Time to move tender plants inside for protection; greenhouse, conservatory or a windowsill will do.
Protect tree ferns (Dicksonia and Cyathea) from late October from the frost. Fold the fronds over the crown and wrap in fleece, straw or bubble wrap until spring when the fronds recommence growing.
Cut back dead material on perennials, continue deadheading and weeding.
Divide herbaceous perennials.
Divide rhubarb crowns.
Cut back over hanging plants to keep pathways accessible.
Cut back flowered oregano /marjoram to just above ground level.
Sow winter herbs and salad.
Clear up fallen leaves to prevent over-wintering diseases such as black spot.
Net ponds to prevent leaves falling into them. Clear over zealous pond weed.
Mow / aerate / feed lawns and trim evergreen hedges before the temperatures drop.
Force hyacinths bulbs and pot up hippeastrum (amaryllis) so they flower for Christmas.
Resist cutting back ivy, the flowers provide pollen/nectar/berries for insects and birds in winter.
Once borders have been cleared and prepped mulch with well rotten manure, bark chips, spent mushroom compost or leaf mould to enrich soil, suppress weeds and insulate plant roots from frost.
